Areva

Nuclear Life Extension

Deciding whether to go forward with a second license renewal.

A majority of nuclear power plant operators already have received operating license renewals – to operate their plants for 20 years beyond the 40 years outlined in their initial operating licenses. As utilities decide whether or not to invest in license renewal, they must consider three key questions.

Nuclear's New Chance

Reprocessing nuclear fuel is a sustainable and viable option.

Reprocessing nuclear fuel separates the uranium and the plutonium for the rest of the spent fuel, enabling plant operators to reuse the uranium. But concerns over nuclear proliferation are stopping it in this country.

AREVA Wins Contract from DOE to Develop Enhanced Accident Tolerant Fuel

AREVA Federal Services (AFS), an AREVA subsidiary in the United States, was awarded a contract by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to continue the development of next generation fuel for light water nuclear reactors. This program aims to develop enhanced accident tolerant fuel (EATF), a fuel that is more resistant under severe accident conditions, particularly those involving a loss of cooling. The AREVA-led team, comprising the U.S.

Digest (Sept 2014)

Duke Energy Progress agreed to purchase $1.2 billion in generating assets from North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency; ABB won a $400 million order that would create the first electricity link between Newfoundland and the North American power grid; Siemens Energy secured an order for a total capacity of 36 MW in Germany; NextEra Energy Partners’ Bluewater Wind Energy Center in Ontario began commercial operation; the Department of Energy took the first step toward issuing a $150 million loan guarantee to support construction of the Cape Wind offshore wind project; and others ...

Utilities Form Advisory Board to Launch AREVA’S Next Generation Fuel Assembly Design

Six U.S. nuclear utilities have established a technical advisory board for the deployment of GAIA, AREVA’s next generation pressurized water reactor fuel assembly design. These six utilities – including Dominion, Duke Energy, Exelon and PSEG – share a common interest in ensuring the technical advancement and demonstration of this fuel for the U.S.

Digest (July 2014)

Austin Energy awards Recurrent Energy a contract for Texas' largest solar power plant; Indianapolis Power & Light receives approval from IURC to invest $600 million in gas turbine power station; Tucson Electric Power to purchase solar power from Avalon Solar Project; Xcel Energy and SunPower sign a PPA for a 50-MW solar plant in Colorado; American Electric Power plans to replace existing wire on transmission line running from Ohio to West Virginia; Midcontinent ISO amends its tariff to allow for short-term variations in net load requirements; FERC approves ISO New England's "Pay-for-Performance" plan.

AREVA to Supply Exclusive Solution to Monitor Nuclear Reactor Fluid Systems

AREVA signed an agreement with the American engineering firm NUCCORP to be the exclusive supplier of the nuclear grade air trap (NGAT) technology to the nuclear industry. The NGAT system eliminates the need for periodic venting and ultrasonic testing inspections, which can increase costs and impair operational efficiency. Winner of a 2012 Nuclear Energy Institute Vendor Top Industry Practice award, the device can be easily installed in existing plants and has already been demonstrated in operation.

Next-Gen Nuclear

Tomorrow’s options for low-carbon baseload generation.

The nuclear renaissance might be postponed, but technologies continue advancing. The next generation of plants will apply innovation for safety, efficiency, and modularity.

Build to Order

Engineers and constructors adapt to serve an industry in transition.

From gas pipelines to PV arrays, the nation’s contractors are seeing growth in utility infrastructure. Fortnightly talks with executives at engineering and construction firms to learn what kinds of projects are moving forward, where they’re located, and what lies over the horizon.

Vendor Neutral

(June 2012) South Carolina Electric & Gas gave Shaw Group and Westinghouse full notice to proceed on their contract for two new Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear power units and related facilities at the V.C. Summer nuclear station near Jenkinsville, S.C. Progress Energy awarded a contract to Westinghouse for underwater laser beam welding (ULBW) at the Robinson nuclear plant in Hartsville, S.C. Southern California Edison (SCE) completed additional inspections of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) Unit 2 steam generators, based on Unit 3 findings. And others...